The La Center softball team used tough pitching and timely hitting to return to the Class 1A state semifinals with wins over South Whidbey and College Park.
The Wildcats, the defending 1A state championship, will play Colville at 9 a.m. Saturday at Columbia Playfield in Richland in the 1A semifinals.
La Center only managed three hits in 2-0 win over South Whidbey. Megan Muffett went 1 for 3 with two RBI and Kaylie Faul went 1 for 3 with two runs.
But that was enough for pitcher Abby England, who shut out South Whidbey on four hits, striking out 16 batters.
England threw four more scoreless innings against College Park as La Center built a 3-0 lead, aided by England’s solo home run.
But College Park rallied to tie the game with a three-run fifth inning.
That’s when the Wildcats’ bats got going again. Muffett started a three-run seventh inning rally with a solo home run. Caitlyn Thompson added an RBI double.
Macy Randolph and Ceanna Johnston both went 2 for 4 against College Park.
2A state
Ridgefield played a wild first game but ended up losing both of its game at the 2A state tournament in Selah.
The Spudders lost 14-12 to Sehome of Bellingham and 6-3 to Othello.
Against Sehome, the two teams were scoreless entering the third inning when Sehome struck for four runs. Ridgefield counted with three in the bottom of the third.
But Sehome broke the game open with a five-run fourth. But the Spudders did not give up, scoring two in the fifth and three in the sixth. Trailing 14-8 entering the bottom of the seventh, Ridgefield scored four runs and had the potential tying run come to bat before Sehome ended the game.
Emma Jenkins was 3 for 5 with a home run and four RBI, Karli Oliver was 4 for 5 with four RBI and Madison Syring was 2 for 3 with three runs.
Othello used a three-run fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie and eliminate the Spudders. Sarah Jenkins, Syring, Calli Martin and Oliver each had one hit in the loss.
